Editor’s note: Saturday night’s Akron Bicentennial Light the Locks ceremony has been postponed until late summer/early fall due to weather conditions affecting the safety of the canal. The Downtown Akron Sakura Festival will proceed as scheduled.

OK Akron, admit it. You all love your history and have amazing nostalgia for all things past. That’s why a visit to the Akron History Center should be a must on your list when it opens this weekend (and afterward, of course).

While you’re at it, the Sakura Festival on Saturday, held in multiple locations around town, along with the Bicentennial Light the Locks event in the evening, make for a banner weekend of things to do.

Learn about Akron’s past at the Akron History Center’s opening Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. The center will also be open Sunday, April 6 from 1 to 4 p.m. and regularly Wednesdays-Saturdays from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. throughout April. 

Smell the cherry blossoms along the Towpath Trail during the annual Downtown Akron Sakura Festival Saturday from 1 to 7 p.m. Attendees can check out a sake and sushi tasting, learn the art of Japanese tea making, or check out live performances and craft demos. At 8 p.m., attendees can light a lantern boat at Lock 2. The festival is free to attend, but some activities require registration.

Watch a pack of puppies perform challenging stunts and comical tricks, just like on America’s Got Talent. Bring the family to Puppy Pals Live at the Goodyear Theater Saturday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $22-$27. 

Culture & Arts Reporter (she/her)
Brittany is an accomplished journalist who’s passionate about the arts, civic engagement and great storytelling. She has more than a decade of experience covering culture and arts, both in Ohio and nationally. She previously served as the associate editor of Columbus Monthly, where she wrote community-focused stories about Central Ohio’s movers and shakers. A lifelong Ohioan, she grew up in Springfield and graduated from Kent State University.